Ode to the Roomba

For years, Raul has wanted to buy a Roomba. Our former house was small without much carpet, so I resisted. Now, our place is covered in carpet - light beige carpet, too. And us with a cat and big black dog that love to shed. I finally relented, and Raul purchased a Roomba about two weeks ago. It's effect on our lives has been profound. Every morning, it wakes itself up, runs around our house vacuuming, and when it is done, it puts itself back to bed in its charger. It's magic. Roomba, thank you for your vigilence in keeping our floors free of dog and cat hair, and thank you for allowing me to spend my free time knitting and not vacuuming. We heart the Roomba.

I can see clearly now..

Because I have cool new glasses!


Just a peek (trying to minimize identifiable photos of myself on the interweb because I don't want any stalkers.)

Seriously

OMG! What kind of sadist puts motion sensing lights in a call room? Really? Who needs the lights to go on everytime you roll over in bed when you're only getting a couple hours of sleep? And how funny is the wikipedia definition of a call room? It must have been written by a resident - someone well acquainted with working herself to the point of exhaustion.

Call is fun by the way. I like psychiatry, and I am liking this city much more. The dog is still happy as a clam in mud, and the cat's doing better - at least she's been urinating exclusively in her litter box.

Leafling socks

March installment of Rockin Sock Club Socks finished!

These photos were taken while I was visiting Raul on call (I brought him dinner on a night when he had to stay overnight in the hospital. Yes, I am a very wonderful wife, you don't have to tell me.) He was kind enough to help me with a sock photo shoot in his call room.

View on 2 feet.


Full frontal.


Intimate heel detail.


Details:
Yarn: Socks That Rock mediumweight sock yarn in color Lucky
Pattern: Leafling by JC Briar
Needles: Size 2 circs
Comments: So FUN! I loved this pattern. The author said she was inspired by Cat Bordhi's new book New Pathways for Sock Knitters. I have to get this book. This sock construction is ingenious. You add the gusset stitches as you go, so you don't have to pick up any stitches for the heel. Amazing. And I love the almost cabley-look of the pattern in the front. I am so going to make this pattern again.

Adjusting

So, life here is way different from Iowa City. Overwhelmingly so. So many people everywhere, all the time. So many cars everywhere, all the time. I walked from one hospital to another the other day, and the route I took required that I cross 4 different interstate on-ramps and off-ramps. It was kind of terrifying. I don't think I am ever going to walk that route again. Even if it is shorter. Though there are some cool things about LA. Like my family. I have seen them so much since I've been out here, and that has been wonderful. The food is really good. The farmers' markets are phenomenal. And the weather isn't so bad. : )

Raul and I started residency last Tuesday, and it is going well. It's busy. We both have to take overnight call (where you have to stay overnight in the hospital to handle any problems with your patients and to take any new admissions) once or twice a week. We don't get to see each other as much as we used to, and I miss him, but we're getting used to it.

I took my first overnight call in the hospital last week. It was an interesting and overwhelming experience. And terrifying. I survived, and by the early morning (I got my last admission at 2am), I was actually having fun.

Raul is doing well. He's saving babies in the Pediatric ICU. I think we could all take some lessons from him on how to handle stress and to leave work at work.

The dog is loving it here along with all the attention he's getting from my frequently visiting family. And he doesn't have to sleep in his kennel anymore - we moved his dog bed next to our bed. He's a happy camper. The cat, not so much. She really misses Iowa City, and her cat door that provided her with constant access to the great wild outdoors. She's been going to the bathroom in places other than her cat box. Those of you with cats know that this is not a good thing. I've started letting her outside when I'm home, and she seems to be doing a little better. I bought her a cat bed today, and I think she likes it.


ETA: I later found out that Greta was not nesting in her new bed. She was urinating in it.

Slowly, but surely, we're getting there.